ALAN Workshop-Trends in YA Literature
ALAN Workshop-Trends in Young Adult Literature
Consult the new edition of Your Reading-Available through NCTE 1700 new books from 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003. Theme of Challenges-Six major divisions.
- Increase in fantasy/fantasy series.
- Series books in general.
- Non-fiction: all aspects of human life--social, political and economic issues.
- Edgier books for younger children
- Post-apocalyptic novels. "Mad max meets the Giver"
Trends in Style and Genre:
- Risks with non-traditional books and risks multiple narrators.
- High fantasy is being replaced with low-fantasy. There is a greater mix of animal, fairy, folk tales and more realistic characters/story lines.
Books to bridge the gap between literature and the content areas:
Lost in the War-about a nurse in Vietnam
Misfits by James Howell-about a group that doesn't want to say the pledge
Death on Sacred Ground-mystery. Who commits the murder? Mix of cultures.
Stick Figure by Gottlieb-chronicles the ins and outs of anorexia.
And Sometimes Why-explores the difference between friendship and romance.
Non-fiction writing is better than ever before because of the internet. Students like most non-fiction books because they can "sample" the books they're reading. They don't have to look at the whole thing. Non-fiction gives us a human face to otherwise one-dimensional characters.
Ways to organize the curriculum when considering genre, thematic, cultural or author studies.Some authors to look at:
- Joan Bauer-Backwater, Hope was Here, Rules of the Road: exploring the craft of writing.
- Sarah Dessen-Someone Like You, Keeping the Moon.
- Richard Peck-Year Down Yonder, Fair Weather, Long Way From Chicago.
- Jacqueline Woodson-Miracles Boys, If You Come Softly
- Lulu Delacre
- Margaret Bechard-Hanging Onto Max...about a boy raising his son.
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Last Updated April 11, 2011
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